How Could He?
by Spitfire F.22
Summary: When Ron steps out for a moment, Kim struggles to understand his recent actions. Probaby overrated for some kissing. KimXRon


**Howdy, all! I decided to try a oneshot with a bit of angst, just to see how I'd do. Any comments would be greatly appreciated.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own KP and co.**

How could he?

"Oh man, KP, unlimited free refills are a double edged sword." Ron announced as he slid out of the booth he was sharing with Kim. Though they had been dating for a few weeks, the only readily apparent change was that he and Kim now shared one seat, while Monique sat across from them.

"I'll be back in a moment." Ron called back as he headed for the men's room.

"Ron may be quite a catch, but he still has his moments." Monique observed with a smile.

Kim didn't answer right away. Instead, her eyes followed him until he disappeared around the corner.

"Kim, still with us?"

"Oh, sorry Monique. Something just came over me."

"Don't tell me that naco boy's so hot now that you're eyes glaze over watching him walk towards the little boy's room."

Kim glared at her for a moment, then softened. "No, it's not that. I was just thinking…how could he?"

"How could he what? Drink 5 slurpsters in the half hour ?"

At this point, Kim began to tear up a bit.

"No. How could he love me."

Monique sat in shock, silent for a few moments, as she stared at her friend.

"Kim, I uh, what do you mean? Did something happen between you and Ron that I don't…"

"It's not like that, not at all. Ron is wonderful, beyond wonderful. He's even a good kisser…"

"I could have guessed that. I didn't think you were just humoring him that third time at the prom."

"It's just that, well, how can he forgive me? I treated him like a loser, just like Bonnie does."

"Are you kidding? You were always with him…"

"Unless someone more 'acceptable' was around. I always wanted a 'real' date to go to a dance with. And you have no idea how mean, how thoughtless I've been to him. Did you know that, anytime Ron got in a jam, I'd just tell him to stop playing around? I'm his best friend, but every time he had a chance to do well for himself, I couldn't have been harsher."

"Kim, your being to hard on yourself. He loves you, you love him. Stop worrying about the past."

"You just don't understand. Nobody makes you chose between keeping your job or walking into a deathtrap! I sincerely hope that you've never strung a guy along, then dropped him like a old pair of socks when some crush came along. Like when he got a new haircut-that was before you came, or when he was a star at the X-games. I'd tell him that he should just be himself, to wait for someone who could accept him as he was. And I couldn't even pay enough attention that the only person he was trying to impress was me!"

"Kim, I…"

Just a Kim had begun her latest statement, Ron was returning, considerably relieved. He was still halfway across the room when he heard Kim's voice, filled with a mixture of irritation and sadness. "…strung a guy along, then dropped him like…"

He stopped. It didn't take long to realize what she was talking about. Ron decided to sneak up on the girls, utilizing every ounce of stealth a lifetime of freak fighting and a week at a secret ninja school had given him.

Kim began again. "I just, I don't know, would you forgive someone like that? Would you love them?"

"I would." Ron's familiar voice softly returned. Kim nearly jumped out of her seat.

"Oh, Ron, I uh, " she took a breath. "How much of that did you hear?"

He slid into the booth, with all the grace that one can have when sliding, and put his arm around her.

"A bit. Something about 'old socks', I think."

"So, uh," she considered tring to stall, but nothing came to her. After a moment, she just broke down. "How, why do you love me? Why don't you hate me? After everything I've done..."

Ron smiled softly. "KP, I couldn't hate you. So you haven't always been a perfect friend. Nobody is. But I knew that you always cared about me. You cared enough to track down the O-Boyz when I was taken with them, hey you cared enough to go a concert that should have been canceled, the theater was so empty. You cared enough about me to go into space in an untested rocket, to search for me on Christmas Eve."

Kim eyes were still full of tears, but they only served to make her eyes shine more as she looked into his. "Oh Ron." She wrapped her arms around him as he pulled her into a loving kiss.

Monique turned to the as yet ignored Rufus. "Hey little guy, I think we're just in the way right now. How about getting a refill with me?"

The clever rodent chirped back an "OK" and hopped onto her arm, clutching in cup tightly.

When they reached the counter, Monique smirked.

"I guess she's not worried about 'how can he love me' anymore, but now I'm a little concerned about 'how can they go without air for so long?' and, more importantly, 'How can they do that in Bueno Nacho?"

The End

**I'd love to read what you think, so please review! This is a bit different from what I usually do. **


End file.
